Livity Africa, Facebook launch entrepreneurial training programme

Youth-led NPO Livity Africa, in collaboration with Facebook has launched a digital training programme for entrepreneurs to assist in accelerating their businesses.

This partnership between Facebook and Livity Africa expands on the “network effect” of the Digify programme which was launched in SA in 2014 as well as Nigeria and Kenya in 2016.

The new development programme will cover three core elements:

• Digify Prot Startup: A six-week training module for entrepreneurs which helps accelerate the growth of their businesses using digital skills and tools.

• Boost Your Business: One-day training interventions to assist entrepreneurs with any issues they face.

• Digify Entrepreneur TTT (Train the Trainer): Is a booster course for Digify Pro graduates and aims to equip them with skills needed to become trainers of the Bytes for Business programme.

The entire programme aims to train SA entrepreneurs over a period of six months. Coaching will be provided for through Livity Africa’s Digify trainers and will be supported by ongoing training provided by Facebook.

According to Livity Africa, the Digify programme, which has already received support from Google, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the British council, has already trained 70 000 entrepreneurs.

Livity Africa and Facebook are providing startups with skills and knowledge through their digital training programme

“Facebook is passionate about the power of technology to help people create content, develop innovative services and products for their communities, as well as build businesses that create jobs and opportunity,” said Facebook’s public policy director for Africa, Ebele Okobi in a press release to Ventureburn.

“Through this programme, we aim to help entrepreneurs use social platforms to tell their business’ story, connect with their audiences and generate demand for their products. In partnership with stakeholders such as Livity Africa, we can help young entrepreneurs develop successful businesses.”

According to Livity Africa, Facebook’s Blueprint tools will benefit entrepreneurs by bridging tech and skills related to financial planning, budgeting, digital marketing and social media, to name a few.

“We will create a sustainable, youth-led approach whereby investing in talented, entrepreneurial youth, we will create ‘multipliers of impact’ who can help sustain and grow the learning of thousands of others,” said Livity Africa founder and MD, Gavin Weale.

“Our approach is focused on how existing businesses, at whatever stage and size, can leverage digital skills and tools to accelerate themselves, powered by Facebook. There is huge opportunity here for young people in South Africa to create their own livelihoods with these digital skills,” Weale concludes.